Ornate Bichir, nocturnal feeding habits.

[octavusprime]

It seems that my ornate bichir only comes out after the lights are out. I'm just curious how everyone feeds them. I have a peacock bass and IT datnoid that eat everything I put into the tank during the day.

I've been feeding right before I go to bed and assuming the bichir finds it at night. Just wondering what others do. When you feed?, what you feed?... etc.

Thanks.

 

[Nim Dibbley]

my ornate eventually comes out to get food if i put enough in. i first throw in various floating food on one end of the tank and then throw in some sinking pellets on the bichir end of the tank and he typically gets there before all of the food is gone. I feed in the morning and then in the evening after work. I don't put any food in after lights out. Of all of the fish in there he is typically the last one to eat and the most likely to go hungry. that said, he still gets at least one pellet at almost every feeding and i make sure he gets something at least every other day.

 

[benzjamin13]

My Ornate seems shy when it comes to eating with others, but he's getting better about it. He's usually one of the last to eat, but he gets his share. I don't normally turn on my tank lights, so it's semi dark all the time. I keep my with other various Polys, Dats, and a BGK. My fish usually eat Massivores and Shrimp.

 

[octavusprime]

Thanks for the replies. My tank is planted and very bright, so he and the pleco hide in their respective caves until my timers turn the lights off.

I want to get away from the current feeding 3x a day and get down to two. I'm also trying to avoid overfeeding my other fish. Since my ITT and peacock aren't pellet trained maybe adding sinking pellets with the frozen food in the evening will ensure there are leftovers for the bichir.